Parachute jumper&#39;s suit



Feb. 22, 1944. 1 s st MlNER 2,342,420

PARACHUTE I JUMPER S SUIT Filed Oct. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 22, 1944. s. s. MINER 2,342,420

PARACHUTE JMPER s SUIT Filed oct. 24, 1941 s sheets-sheet 2 Feb.' 22, 1944. 5, s* MlNER 21,342,420

PARACHUTE JUMPERS SUIT Filed Oct. 24, 194]. 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 1944' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rmcnu'iz'imans surr K Samuel S. Miner, Niles, Mich. l Application october 24, i941, sexismo. 416,397 1s claims. (ci. 244-143) The present invention relates to parachute garments and it is particularly directed to a garment of this character which is adapted for usel not only in the parachute jump but as a suit to be used by the jumper after landing.

It is a principal purpose of my invention to provide a garment of the character described composed of stress taking and non-stress taking .poi-tions, the stressed portions being sov constructed as to material and connections that the strain of supporting the wearer's weight and of taking the shock of parachute opening will bewith the usual harness. 'Ihe wearer, upon alighting, can more quickly disengage himself from the parachute than from a harness, and there is the additional advantage of a smooth outer surface on the garment thus rendering negligible the likelihood of entanglement with plane or chute. Further, the suit is so designed as to ,t the wearers body without the binding accompanying the wearing of the ordinary harness.

My invention contemplates a construction wherein the stressed portions of the garment are so constructed either by using sumciently strong material or suilicient plies of material or properly converging or contiguous bands of material or other suitable reinforcements as to withstand the strains to be encountered. The unstressed portions of the garment normally constitute the sleeves and the immediate areas around and beneath the attachment of the sleeves, the lower back and abdomen, and parts of the legs. In these unstressed areas the function of the material is that of a cover andthe material should be such as to allow freedom of movement'without too much bagginess. The areas on the lower back and abdomen may be provided with horizontal shirring to permit freedom of body move-l ment, and the back above the horizontally shirred part may well be provided with pleats to give the desired freedom of movement.

It will be seen that the design will permit complete freedom of body movement while the wearer is on the ground, since the stressed areas are so. disposed as to allow crouchng, twisting. running or any normal bodily contortion without binding or interference. Thus the suit constitutes a practical and comfortable article of wearing appareL On the other hand, while the wearer is descending by means of a parachute, the stressed portions of the garment encase his body smoothly and comfortably. 'at the same time leaving his legs and arms free. With reference to his legs, it will be seen that the design contemplates that a portion of the strain maybe carried by them, but that at the wearers will, and in particular at the moment of alighting, the strain may be entirely removed from the legs by a slight lifting of the legs. 'I'hus, as the wearer instinctively assumes the ideal posture for alighting from a jump, his legs are freed of the stress of his weight.

The detailed objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It should be understood however that the drawings and description are illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front view of the garment; v

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the garmen with the shoulder part broken away:

Fig. 3 is a rear view Vof the garment;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of the garment wherein the prachute straps are attached at the side instead of at the shoulders;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of the inner leg portion of the suit:

Fig. '7 is a view in side elevation of the outer leg portion of the suit; i

Fig. 8 is a small, somewhat diagrammatic view showing` the disposition of the stress carrying bands*v on the front and back of the body;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation illustrating a detail of construction whereby adjustment of the legl girth is provided, and another detail of construction whereby the leg of the wearer may be held in a semi-sitting position; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing how the lower leg portions of the suit are fastened to the feet of the wearer.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the present invention is shown as lembodied in a garment i0. The garment is made up of a multiplicity of stress bearing portions that are in turn joined by-non-stress bearing portions that cover those parts of the body which in the normal use of the garment need to be protected but which taken on the line 5--5 the member I I.

- obtained by using, in these areas of the garment,

multiple ply or mutliple web constructionsI instead of single ply material of adequate strength. In fact, if the suit is-thought of as a more or less homogeneous structure, with the stress bearing areas suitably strengthened Iby any of the means herein described, the theory of the `design will become more apparent. Thus, in the drawings, the areas represented as straps or bands attached to a completed garment may alternatively be considered to represent areas on the garment which require more strength than the areas of the garment functioning only as a cover.

` Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 and 8, the invention will best be understoodby tlrst following upon Fig. 8 the stressed areas which are to be covered by the stress bearing material of the garment. The stressed areas on the front of the garment (see Fig. 8), for one-half of the front portion of the body, have been shaded and are indicated at II and I2. In Fig. 1 these same parts have been indicated by the numerals I and l2. Fig. 1 shows also the corresponding or other half of the front stressed lareas at I3 and I4. The back stressed areas, as indicated in Fig. 8, are shown in dotted lines and have been numbered for identification as I8, I8 and I'I. 'I'hese same parts are marked upon Fig. 3 with the corresponding numerals. The complementary stress bearing portions of the garment are indicated in Fig. 3 at I8 and I9. It will be noted that the front stress bearing portions I2 and I4 extend downwardly and inwardly from the sides of the body to the crotch, while these same stress bearing members are continued by joining with the stress bearing members I8 and I3, respectively, across the back. The two stress bearing members I8 and Ilmeet approximately at the shoulder blades of the wearer and then extend over the shoulders where they join the front upper stress bearing members II and i 3, respectively. The stress bearing members I| and I3 do not cross at the front of the body. Instead they extend down and across the hip, the member II joining the member I 8 and the member I3 joining the member I9. The stress bearing members I8 and I9 extend to the crotch where they, together with the stress bearing members I2 and I4, are joined to the leg encircling bands 20 and 2|. y

The path of the stress bearing parts of the garment is peculiar in that it can be traced without'a break as follows: beginning with the stress bearing part I I at the waistline and extending upwardly to the shoulder, this stress bearing part stress bearing part I4 down to the leg band 20 through which it joins the stress bearing part I I that goes up over the hip and meets the stress bering part Thus one band of material properly cut may be 'used to form all of the stress bearing parts II to I8 and I9 to 2l, inclusive. 0r, utilizing another of the herein described constructions, a multiplicity of contiguous and converging strips, such as a strong tape, may be so fabricated together as to form the stressed areas referred to. Part I1 is a stressed area'intended to help distribute strain across the hips between the parts I9 and I9 and to prevent them from sliding too far around the hips toward the front of the body when the wearers legs are brought into the semi-sitting position. Although shown as a roughly rectangular area attaching to the edges of parts I8 and I9, it is in reality a part of the structural area I8, |1, I9 and can be constructed of, the same pieces of material as the parts I8 and I9, providing that a. multiplicity of tapes, as herein described, is used. This is a principle of design that applies in general throughout this description.

It will be noted that the stress carrying parts of the garment leave large open areas 22 and 23 where sleeves 24 and 25 are attached to the suit. A weaker fabric may be used for the sleeve portions 24 and 28 and to ll the areas 22 and 23. For the purpose oi' convenience and freedom in movement the cloth for the areas 22 and 23 may desirably be pleated or given the necessary fullness in any of the known fashions now used in garment construction. The rear part of the garment has a filling 26 o1' a weaker fabric to cover the area between the stress bearing parts I5, I8, I1, I8 and I9 and this fabric may be suitably constructed to give the desired flexibility and looseness. For example, in bending over there will be a tendency to stretch this fabric and horizontal shirring may be advisable to allow the necessary stretch; that is, the material 2B is gathered along the edges of the parts I 5, I8, I8 and I9. The lighter, weaker fabric may be applied to the areas 21 and 28 over the hips at the sides.

In the front of the garment an abdominal portion 29 is formed between the stress bearing parts meets with the back stress bearing part I8 which extends diagonally across the back to the waistline on the opposite side from the beginning of The part I5 crosses from the back to the front to be continued as the stress bearing part I2` down to the crotch where the stress bearing part I2 through the leg band 2| joins the stress bearing part I 9 which continues up to the waistline and passes to the front of the body Where it is continued as the stress bearing part I3 to the shoulder. At the shoulder the stress bearing part I3 is continued down across the back as the part I8, the part'IB in turn crossing at the waistline from the back to the front of the body and continuing as the front crotch I2 and I4. This abdominal portion extends upwardly and is continued as portions 30 and 3| to the neck of the garment, the portions 3l) and 3| being secured to and extending between the stress bearing parts and I3. Although it is not desired to place any of the strain of supporting the wearer upon his abdomen it is nevertheless considered desirable to so fashion the portion 29 as to provide some support for his abdomen, particularly at the moment of parachute opening. This is done by so shaping the portion 29 of the garment that when the parts I2 and I4 are taut under the strain of supporting the wearers weight a certain tenseness will result in the part 29 thus providing the desired support for his abdomen. In order to open the garment so as to put it on the parts 30 and 3| are joined by suitable fastening means 32 such as the weil known "zipper. A reinforcing strip 33 is joined with the portion 30 and extends from the shoulder diagonally down to the waistline in the front of the garment. A loose strap 34 extends diagonally down from the other shoulder and has a snap fastener 38 snap-Y ping into a ring 36 on a short strap 31 fastened fastens to the strap 34 and the adjustment of the strap 33 may be at its point of attachment at the waistline, this attachment being made to any one of the overlapping stress bearing members, for example, the top one.. The fastener 3l is intended primarily as a convenience in removing 34 and 39 are provided on the shoulders, being suitably fastened to the stress bearing parts as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the completed suit provides stress bearing parts across the shoulders and back, across the front and back of the hips. and vertically on the sides of the chest so as to leave the parts most liable to be injured by violent shock free of any support. These parts are the abdominal region and the lower chest, the collarbone area around the neck, and the lower part of the back, also the areas directly under the arms where a shock might break a rib. The reinforcing straps 33 and 34 across the chest are not intended primarily as stress bearin-g members but they do equalize the stresses from side to side, and for that reason have to be suillciently strong to take substantial strains. It will be noted that at the crotch the stress bearing members are so arranged that regardless of how the shock hits there is no tendency to pull the legs away from each other or to crush. the hips. The parts I8 and I9 are intended to support the wearers weight by passing over his body downwardly from the hips toward the crotch over the areas at the juncture of his buttocks and thighs. The leg bands 20 and 2l are desirably made adjustable in girth; for example, by providing them with eyelets and lacing as indicated at 4I in Fig. 9. Although this feature is illustrated only in Fig. 9 it is intended to apply to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, as Well. In connection with these leg girths an important function of their design should be borne in mind. Their purposes are several-first to insure proper positioning at all times of the parts I2, I4, I6 and I9 which are desirably heid in close proximity, yet without binding, to the areas in the wearers crotch which are to support his weight. Thus when the stressed portions I2, I4, I6 and I9 are suddenly drawn taut by the opening of the chute there is no effect of jerking or mauling. Instead there is a somewhat gentler pulling and lifting action.

Further these parts 20 and 2I serve to distribute the strain at the crotch and to provide a means whereby parts 42 (shown in Fig. 9 and described below) may exert a lifting action upon the legs to bring the wearer into the desired semisitting position.

In Fig. 9 there is another feature which may desirably be used in connection with the shoulderattached parachute rings. This feature constitutes triangular gussets 42 which are attached at their lower edges to the corresponding leg band and which are attached along their upper edges y appreciated that the suit has a certain looseness v suicient to permit freedom of motion, and the small amount of upward movement is sufficient to cause the triangular gussets to exert a lifting bearing parts.

action upon the legs when the weight is being carried by the rings Il and 39. The parte` 42, as shown in Fig. 9, is shown to be attached to the suit only at its upper and lower ends, and somewhat along. its rearward edge. In this construction, which is ofcourse only one of several which may be used, this would mean that the forward' edge of part 42 would be free of the garment. Another construction is to fashion the garment in this area so that 42 would be an outer layer. and the underlying stressed areas an inner layer of the garment at this point. This would enable the part 42 to perform its function independently of the part I2 or I4 and yet not be a loose web of material free of the garment.

Referring now` to Figs. 6 and 7, these figures show the stress bearing parts of the legs of the suit and how they are arranged to permit the wearer to stand with a part of the strain on his feet, if desired, while falling, and which permit him to draw his legs upward and remove the strain from the feet. Eachl of the legportions of the suit comprises a stress bearing part 43 along the inside of the leg, this stress bearing part extending out at the seat to join and form an extension of one or more of the hip stress As shown the parts 43 are divided at ctheir upper ends and become continuations of the parts I2 and I9 at one side, and I4 and I6 at the other side. On the outside of each leg of the suit 'there is another stress bearing part 44 which follows straight up the leg from the foot over the hip Where it attaches to the corresponding one of the back stress bearing parts I5 and I8 where they cross the hip to the front, the attachment being at the juncture of parts I5 and' I8 with the parts I3 and I I. The weaker material 45 of the leg portions of the suit is preferably made slightly baggy at the knees so' 'that when the knee is bent the distance from the hip to the foot along the line of the strap 44 is shortened to thus remove the strain from the feet. Any suitable adjustable fastener 46 may be used for securing the bottom ends of the leg portions to the feet. For example, a strap, as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 10 may be made to pass over the boot or shoe vand under the in` step. yOr means may be provided to attach the bottom leg portions of the garment directly to the boot or shoe of the wearer. A further device is to fashion a foot portion on the garment, fitting the wearers foot like a stocking inside his boot or shoe.

With reference to the construction of the suit at the crotch, it is contemplated that a fly portion 48 of a suitable kind, for example, a zipper, may extend from the center of the lower edge of the part I'I forward through the crotch to the lower abdominal area. This fly portion of the garment should preferably be made full and loose and should attach where it passes through the center of the crotch to the lower edges of the parts 20 and 2|. l

Referring now to Fig. 4, in this form of the invention the change made from that in the main form consists in applying a parachute at-V taching ring 4l at the waist instead of at the shoulders.I In this form of the invention the stress bearing parts I2, I3, I5 and I9 as weil as the reinforcing strip 33 are attached to the ring 4l. The corresponding stress bearing parts at the opposite side .are connected to another ring (not shown) and these rings are utilized for the purpose of attaching the parachute to the suit. The construction otherwise is essentially the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

' This alternative construction will be seen to pro-` vide a means whereby the wearer may commence his descent (before the opening of the parachute) in either an upright or headlong CPO- sition. In the event that his position is headlong there will be no snapping or whipping eilect when the chute opens. The parachute attaching means I1 are preferably located slightly above the wearer's center of gravity in order to bring him slowly and positively to a natural upright position after the opening of the parachute.

From the above description it is believed that the features and advantages oi' my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the lrst named stress bearing portions, and relatively weak covering portions joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment.

2. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions ofrelatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at thewaist line of the garment with the first named stressy bearing portions, and relatively weak covering portions joined to said stress bearing portions; to complete the garment, said rst named stress bearing portions being connected across the back and spaced apart across the front of the garment.

3. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to' stopping the falling Ibody when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to theappropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly .across the front and rear surfaces ci the hips,

each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the tlrst named stress bearing portions, and relatively weak covering portions Joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment, said second named stress bearing portions being connected across the back and spaced apart across the front of the garment.

4. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling Ibody when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips,

each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being Joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the iirst namedstress bearing portions, and relatively Weak covering portions joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment, said covering portions including a sleeve portion at each side embodying a sleeve and joined to the corresponding ilrst named stress bearing portion from the shoulder to the waist line and including vertically running gathers to provide fullness at the arms and sides.

5. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions oi relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces oi the hips, each of said lastmentioned portions extending substantially to the,waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the first named stress bearing portions, and relatively weak covering portions joined to said stress bearing portions to.

complete the garment, said covering portions including a back covering portion extending across the upper back area of the garment Ibetween the first named stress bearing portions and extending across the lower back area between the second named stress `bearing portions.

6. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and beingl joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the rst named stress bearing portions, and relatively weak covering portions joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment, said covering portions including a front covering portion extending across the chest and upper abdominal area of the garment between the first named stress bearing portions and extending across the lower abdominal area oi' the garment between the second named stress bearing portions.

7. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts oi the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the first named stress bearing portions, and relatively Weak covering portions Joined to said stress bearing portions to complete -the garment, said covering portions-including a back covering portion extending across the upper back area of the garment between the first named stress bearing portions and extending across the lower back area between the second named stress bearing portions, the Iback covering portion being gathered at points along its meeting lines with the stress bearing portions.

8. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stop,"

ping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front; and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the frontand rear surfaces oic the hips, each oi' said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being Joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the first named stress bearing portions, and relatively weak covering portions Joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment, and additional stress bearing members forming part of said garment and extending from each side at the waist line across the chest portion of the garment to the shoulder on the other side.

9. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions oi' relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the waist line of the garmentwith the first named stress bearing portions. and relatively weak covering portions Joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment, and additional stress bearing members forming Dart of said garment and the chest Portionoi the garment to the shoulder on the other side. one ot said last named members being free of the garment between its ends.

10. A garment for parachute Jumpers adapted toserve both as' a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts or the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relativehr great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back. other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the `waist lineot the garment with the nrst namedlbtiess bearing portions, and relatively weak covering portions joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment, ,and additional stress bearing members forming part of said garment and extending from each side at the waist line across the chest portion of the garment to the shoulder on the other side, one of said last named members being free of the garment between its ends and the garment having a slit in the covering along the other of said members and fastening means along said slit vfor separably fastening the material along its edges together.

11. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rearI surfaces of the hips,

each of. said last mentioned portions extending'- substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being Joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the rst named stress bearing portions, leg bands of relatively great strength secured to said last named stress bearl ing members at the crotch and relatively weak covering portions Joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment.

12. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping thefalling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also o f relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the first named stress bearing portions, and relatively weak covering portions Joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment, said garment including leg coverings composed in part of relatively great strength portions extending lengthwise along the extending from each side at the waist une across 7| inner and outer sides 'of the leg coverings and lsides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the first named stress bearing portions, leg bands of relatively great strength secured to said last named stress bearing members at the crotch and relatively weak ment having lifting strips connecting the front parts of the leg bands with the front parts of .the rst named stress bearing portions, whereby lifting of the aforesaid front parts relatively to the body of a wearer effects a lifting action at said leg bands.

15. A parachute jumpers. outfit comprising stress bearing members providing a harness adapted to support the body and ieg coverings composed in part of portions of relatively great strength extending lengthwise along the inner and outer sides of each leg covering and connected with the body stress bearing members.

covering portions joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment, said garment including leg coverings composed in part of rolatively great strength portions extending length- Wise along the inner and outer sides of the leg coverings and connected with the aforesaid stress bearing portions for the body.

14. A garment for parachute jumpers adapted to serve both as a ground dress and as a harness to withstand the forces incident to stopping the falling body when a parachute opens and to distribute the forces to the appropriate parts of the body, said garment comprising stress bearing portions of relatively great strength overlying the shoulders and extending down toward the sides at the front and back, other stress bearing portions also of relatively great strength passing through the crotch and upwardly and outwardly across the front and rear surfaces of the hips, each of said last mentioned portions extending substantially to the waist line on its respective side and being joined approximately at the waist line of the garment with the first named stress bearing portions, leg bands of relatively great strength secured to said last named stress bearing members at the crotch and relatively weak covering portions joined to said stress bearing portions to complete the garment and said gar- 16. A parachute jumper's outfit comprising stress bearing members providing a harness adapted to support the body and leg coverings composed in part of portions of relatively great strength extending lengthwise along the inner and outer sides of each leg covering and connected with the body stress bearing members, said portions of relatively great strength being joined at the bottom of each leg covering whereby the wearer may stand on them.

17. A parachute Jumpers outfit comprising stress bearing members providing a harness adapted to support the body and leg coverings composed in part of portions of relatively great strength extending lengthwise along the inner and outer sides of each leg covering and connected with the body stress bearing members, the portions of relatively great strength extending along the inner sides of the leg coverings being divided at the top of the leg portion into two sections, one section extending forwardly and the other section extending rearwardly to join the body supporting stress bearing members.

18. A parachute Jumpers outt comprising stress bearing members providing a harness adapted to support the body and leg coverings composed in part oi' portions of relatively great strength extending lengthwise along the inner and outer sides of each' leg covering and connected with the body stress bearing members, the outer portions of relatively great strength in said leg coverings extending beyond the leg coverings to the waist part of the harness and being joined with said stress bearing members.

SAMUEL S. MINER, 

